March 8, 2026, was a historic day for Indian cricket. India became the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup title and the first to win the tournament three times.
Six months on, the champions present a very different picture. A new captain is in charge, and the team’s form has been inconsistent. Here is a look at India’s T20 journey since that historic triumph, as they prepare for a three-match series against Afghanistan.
Captaincy change
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) removed Suryakumar Yadav as T20I captain just three months after the title win amid a dip in form. Shreyas Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to the 2024 IPL title and currently captains Punjab Kings, was appointed in his place.
Since lifting the World Cup, India have played three T20I series and are now preparing for a three-match assignment against Afghanistan. The series will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Although the matches are in India, Afghanistan will be the official hosts.
Ireland series: A shock defeat
India’s first post-World Cup assignment was a two-match T20I series in Ireland from June 26-28. Returning to Belfast for the first time in 19 years, India were humbled. Ireland won both matches to take the series 2-0, their first series victory in any format against India.
It was also India’s first T20I series defeat since their loss to the West Indies in August 2023. Indian batters struggled to adapt to Belfast’s slow, two-paced pitches. Conditions demanded strike rotation and partnership-building, but the visitors kept looking for aggressive stroke-play. The team and head coach Gautam Gambhir faced sharp criticism for appearing overconfident against a lower-ranked side.
England series: another heavy loss
Next came a five-match T20I series against England, which began on July 1. India lost 0-4, with one match washed out. Batters again found it hard to handle disciplined English bowling and the different conditions. Inconsistent bowling, poor fielding and frequent changes to the playing XI disrupted momentum. Powerplay and middle-over strategies repeatedly fell short.
Captain Iyer later admitted the side struggled to adjust quickly to the travel schedule and overseas conditions. Calls for Gambhir’s resignation grew louder, and questions were also raised about Iyer’s leadership.
Zimbabwe series: A much-needed reset
India finally found some rhythm against Zimbabwe, winning the series 3-0. The clean sweep ended a difficult seven-match winless streak that had marked the start of Iyer’s T20I captaincy and provided welcome relief for the new leadership group.
Afghanistan series and beyond
India now turn their attention to Afghanistan. The two sides have met nine times in men’s T20Is: India have won all eight completed matches, with one ending in no result. After the Afghanistan series, India will travel to Japan for a one-off T20I at the Sano International Cricket Ground as preparation for the Asian Games. Men’s cricket at the Asian Games (10 teams) runs from September 24 to October 3.
Former India batter VVS Laxman will take charge as head coach for the Asian Games, with regular coach Gautam Gambhir remaining behind for India’s three-match ODI series against the West Indies, which begins on September 27. Laxman previously guided India to gold at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. Shreyas Iyer has been named T20 captain for the Games, with Tilak Varma as his deputy. The 15-member squad also includes teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are the seeded teams and will enter directly at the quarter-final stage. Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal are in Group A; Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Oman make up Group B. The top two from each group will advance to the quarter-finals.
Six months after creating history, India’s T20 side is still searching for consistency. The Afghanistan series and Asian Games offer the next chance to rebuild momentum.
